Flue-cleaner.



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(Application led Jan. 13, 1902.)

(No Model.)

ATTORNEY@ UNiTnD STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. CLARKE, OF ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM SCOTT MITCHELL.

FLUE-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 O 1,256, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed January 13, 1902. Serial No. 89,439 (No model.)

.To a/ZZ wwnt t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. CLARKE, a citizen ot the United States, residing at St. Clair, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful'Improvements in Fine-Cleaners; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to adjustable fluecleaners suitable for removing soot, scale, tbc., from the interior of boiler-lines, and particularly to such cleaners having expansible Scrapers, so that the Scrapers areadjustable to dues of different sizes and will also yield to pass a weld, seam, or other. obstruction in the tube.

A further object is to construct a scraper that will remove all the scale or soot it cuts off by presenting a complete circular surface to the bore of the flue.

A further object is to generally improve the` construction of such cleaners, and thedevice is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof.` "Fim 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig.y 1, and Fig. ais a detailperspective of a slotted guidecollar on the rod of the cleaner.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, G indicates the main rod or spindle of the cleaner, provided at opposite ends with right and left hand screw-threads 7. The scraperblades, of which there are preferably four, are indicated at 8 and are attached in oppositelydisposed pairs, each blade being curved inthe arc of a circle and somewhat less than a Vsemicircle in length. The blades are attached to segments 9 and 9, convenientlyiron castings, of which there are preferably eight, each secured to the end of a spring 10, iiexible radially. Each one of a pair of blades is riveted to a diametrically opposite segment 9, and the intervening segments 9, while not attached to the blades, are so arranged as to support the adjacent ends thereof and to close the space between such ends. By this construction the soot, dac., vcut from the flue cannot escape between the ends of the scraperblades, but is swept out of the flue.

The springs 10 are carried by frusto-conical blocks 11, loosely mounted on the spindie. The springs and blades are spread or adjusted radially by spreaders 12, which have a threaded central bore and travel on the screws 7. The spreaders have peripheral notches 18, in which the springs lie.

A collar 14 is loosely mounted on the spindle and has radial guide-slots 15 of the number of the segments to receive tongues 9", formed on such segments. The tongues slide in the slots, and thereby guide the radial movement of the segments and blades and also properly space the blades and prevent twisting of the parts in the flue.

To assist in entering the device in a flue and in passing welds or obstructions therein, the outer ends of the segments 9 and 9a have spurs 9c projecting therefrom in advance of the cutting edgel of the blades and inclined inwardly, so that an inclined portion is presented to the edge of the mouth of the iiue .or to any obstruction or projection in the'ue, Vassisting the blades to enter the flue and to pass any such obstruction.

A coupling-nut 1G"joins the spindle to a handle. To sustain the thrust of the device, nuts 1S are located on the spindle and bear against the blocks 11.

Rotation of the .spindle '6 Will cause the spreaders 12 to travel in opposite directions, causing expansion or permitting contraction of the segments, according to the direction of travel of the spreader-s.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is`' 1. In a fine-cleaner, in combination, a spindle having right and left hand screw-threads, traveling spreaders thereon, a collar having radial slots loosely mounted on the spindle, radially-yielding segments arranged around and connected to the spindle and having projections engaging said slots, and` scraperblades attached to alternate segments.

2. In a flue-cleaner, in combination, a spin- IOO die, a radially-slotted collar thereon, bladebearing segments arranged around and iexibly attached to the spindle, said segments having projections engaging the slots to guide the radial motion of the segments, and inclinedspurs on the segments proj ectingiu advance ofthe cutting edge of the blades.

3. In a flue-cleaner, in combination, a spindle, a radially slotted collar thereon, segments arranged around and flexibly attached to the spindle, said segments having projections engaging the slots to guide the radial motion thereof, and scraper-blades attached to the alternate segments, so that the free segments cover the space between the ends of the blades.

4. In a lue-cleaner,in combination ,a threaded spindle, a radially-slotted collar loosely mounted thereon, said threads being right and left hand on opposite sides of the collar, blocks loosely mounted on opposite ends of the spindle, springs attached to said blocks, traveling spreaders on the threaded portions of the spindle and engaging the springs to expand the same, segments attached to the free ends of the springs and having projections engaging the slots of the collar, and scraper-blades attached to the segments.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. CLARKE. Vitnesses:

JOSEPH I-I. CAESAR, EDDIE WILSON. 

